.17 Best Make Model And Variant?

[themightybuck 9]

Looking to get a .17 for knocking down those annoying conies, crows, magpies, jackdaws etc that sit just out of range of the .22, I have a few center fire rifles but I don't know much about the .17 what's the difference between .17 hornet, .17 hmr etc? And what's your favoured make and model?

[superdan 0]

CZ and Browning are well respected .17's but personally for anything with feathers a .22lr with 40gr subs may serve you better?

[pothunter 33]

17hmr all the way cz varmint sak mod and 3-9 x 50 bushnell scope mounted on medium mounts it will clear barrel by a few mill it wont break the bank and its as good as you will get, a real tack driver

[charlie caller 3,654]

.17 hmr is ok until you get a puff of wind,then its all over the place,.17 hornet is still largely uncharted territory,the daddy is the .17 rem,necked down .223 case,over 4000fps,good out to 300 yds plus and drops foxes instantly,however have you considered a .22 hornet mate,foxes out to 200 yds crows ect out to 250,and oh so cheap to reload for,a very useful little rifle is the hornet.

[Elliott 436]

.17 hmr is ok until you get a puff of wind,then its all over the place,.17 hornet is still largely uncharted territory,the daddy is the .17 rem,necked down .223 case,over 4000fps,good out to 300 yds plus and drops foxes instantly,however have you considered a .22 hornet mate,foxes out to 200 yds crows ect out to 250,and oh so cheap to reload for,a very useful little rifle is the hornet.

How much are they to reload?

[pothunter 33]

shot the 17 rem in oz near on 30 years ago very good round but i think he already mentioned he has centre fire

[Deker 3,478]

Looking to get a .17 for knocking down those annoying conies, crows, magpies, jackdaws etc that sit just out of range of the .22, I have a few center fire rifles but I don't know much about the .17 what's the difference between .17 hornet, .17 hmr etc? And what's your favoured make and model?

 

 

 

 

You have a few centrefires and apparently your quarry sits just out of range of the .22, what .22 are you suggesting .22lr, .22WMR, .22 centrefire and do you have one?

 

The .17 Hornet is a centrefire, and the HMR is a rimfire, IF your quarry sits JUST outside .22lr range as you say, then all you need is a HMR!

[themightybuck 9]

The rifles i have access to are:

A standard .22

.222

.243

.270

.275 (7x57 Mauser)

I was thinking of a rim fire to save on ammo costs, I don't reload (not sure I would trust myself!) the .243 is my own and the others are owned by my dad but are all on my certificate so I can grab them when ever I need something different, I reckon if I got a .17 I would go through a hell of a lot of ammo so ammo cost is an important factor but as Charlie caller said I don't want some thing that will be put off by a bit of wind

So basically I am looking for some thing with a longer reach than the .22 but cheaper to supply ammo for than the center fire calibers as its the sort of rifle I would have on me most of the time.

[charlie caller 3,654]

You should be able to reload your hornet for about 25pence a bang,it is the only way to get the best out of a hornet,if I was you mate I would learn how to reload and use the .222,you will get all the kit you need for 100-150 quid,it is not a black art mate,with a bit of guidance you will find it easy,and of course you will save hundreds at once by not having to buy another rifle, imo steer clear of the hmr,but then I would say that cos I hate them lol

[Deker 3,478]

The rifles i have access to are:

A standard .22

.222

.243

.270

.275 (7x57 Mauser)

I was thinking of a rim fire to save on ammo costs, I don't reload (not sure I would trust myself!) the .243 is my own and the others are owned by my dad but are all on my certificate so I can grab them when ever I need something different, I reckon if I got a .17 I would go through a hell of a lot of ammo so ammo cost is an important factor but as Charlie caller said I don't want some thing that will be put off by a bit of wind

So basically I am looking for some thing with a longer reach than the .22 but cheaper to supply ammo for than the center fire calibers as its the sort of rifle I would have on me most of the time.

 

EVERYTHING is put off by a bit of wind, reload the .222 or use a HMR, simple!

Edited April 15, 2013 by Deker

[charlie caller 3,654]

Yes but not in quite the spectacular way the little hmr .17 pill is,but yes I agree reload the .222 and to a large extent forget the wind.

[Deker 3,478]

Yes but not in quite the spectacular way the little hmr .17 pill is,but yes I agree reload the .222 and to a large extent forget the wind.

 

Your interpretation of spectacular is very different to mine!

 

The HMR is LESS susceptible to the wind than the .22lr which apparently he uses and has not suggested he has any issue with the wind. So how would you describe wind drift in a .22lr?

 

Taking wind into consideration is a fact of shooting, you have to learn what every calibre you use does.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Ahh yes, but the idea of him getting an hmr IS TO SHOOT AT LONGER DISTANCE,is it not?so yes ok at a .22 rf range of say 60-70 yds the hmr will be less affected by wind as it is not in the air as long as the pedestrian .22 bullet,agreed,but I dont think it is a fair comparison,as the distance increases IE 100yds plus the hmr is affected more and more,lets compare it to a .22 hornet shall we firing a 35gn vmax @3100fps,as apose to a 17gn bullet at around 2500fps,now which do you think will buck the wind better or to up the anti even more lets think about his .222 firing a 50gn bullet@ 3200fps quite a spectacular difference I think.

[Deker 3,478]

Ahh yes, but the idea of him getting an hmr IS TO SHOOT AT LONGER DISTANCE,is it not?so yes ok at a .22 rf range of say 60-70 yds the hmr will be less affected by wind as it is not in the air as long as the pedestrian .22 bullet,agreed,but I dont think it is a fair comparison,as the distance increases IE 100yds plus the hmr is affected more and more,lets compare it to a .22 hornet shall we firing a 35gn vmax @3100fps,as apose to a 17gn bullet at around 2500fps,now which do you think will buck the wind better or to up the anti even more lets think about his .222 firing a 50gn bullet@ 3200fps quite a spectacular difference I think.

 

I'm getting confused, what is your point? At this rate you seem to be suggesting he should chuck away his .22lr, Hornet, .222 and not even consider a HMR because there is less wind drift on his .243!

 

A HMR is LESS effected by the wind than a .22lr OR a .22WMR, and a .308 is less effected by the wind than a Hornet, how far up the scale do you want to go? And what is fair about comparing a HMR to a Hornet or .222, or .243 or .308 or whatever, that it isn't fair comparing it to a .22lr?

 

The HMR isn't BAD in a crosswind within its operating range, which is much further than a .22lr.

 

Ask a few people that actually have and use one, people buy them to shoot further than a .22lr, and they are very good at it, that is the whole point of them, their destructive performance and accuracy at longer distance than a .22lr!

 

 

Of course wind drift is an issue, it is with ANY rifle you have in your hands, you need to deal with it. But lets not get carried away with emotive terms.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Deker

[charlie caller 3,654]

My point is quite simple,the guy already has a .222 so why bother with a .17hmr,.22hornet .17 hornet ect,if he is prepared to reload,as the .222 will be quite economical to run,and will do a better job either in or out of the wind than all of the above,and tbh I dont need to ask anyone about the hmr, as my pal has one and I have used it and seen it in use,and yes it is an accurate little round,but having tested it against my .22hornet@140 ish yards in a mild cross wind I can tell you which I would rather use,lets not forget the op was talking about buying a new rifle,to shoot vermin outside his .22lr range, economics being a factor,I merely suggested to him that if he purchased a .22 hornet he could run it at a low cost(reloading) and out perform any rimfire on the planet,I also then suggested an alternative, in that reloading his .222 would be even better and he would not have to go to the expense of buying another rifle.